Bloom in the Darkness
by Lady of the Shade
Summary: Orieus looked to Queen Lucy. "My Lady, do you have your cordial?" "Always," Lucy responded, patting her belt that she wore around her that had a pouch and sheath for her cordial and dagger. "We may have need of it. Come quickly!" The royals kicked their horses into an immediate run, following Orieus to whatever was distressing him, hoping they weren't too late. Peter/OC story
1. Chapter 1

Flowers grew along the banks of the Great River, petals reaching to the sunlight, begging for its warm touch. They danced as the warm spring breeze wafted through the air, their stems green as jade and their petals soft as velvet. It was a fine day to be outside in any part of Narnia, and many animals were roaming about the forest, frolicking. One animal in particular, the White Stag, was being hunted once again, although he did not know it. The Kings of Narnia, Peter and Edmund, were crouched behind a large bush, watching the stag approach the river. The apparent rumour of catching it was that if you were the captor, three of your wishes would be granted. And Edmund and Peter wanted those wishes. They and their sisters had been ruling Narnia at Cair Paravel for four years now, and the two kings had been hunting the Stag ever since hearing of it at their coronation ball. But every time they got close, the creature would somehow escape.

"Come on, Pete," Edmund encouraged in a whisper, wanting to get on with the capture. He made a move to rise but the High King caught hold of his brother's shoulder and held him down.

"Patience, brother."

"I don't want to be patient, we've had four years of being patient," Edmund huffed. He was a fourteen-year-old boy who was starting to want to want to prove himself to his older brother, to assure that he was a man in the High King's eyes. This made him quick to act and Peter chuckled as his brother whined.

"Ed, we've waited four years already, four more won't kill you," he responded, looking over his brother with ocean-blue eyes.

"But they just might bore me to death," Edmund retorted and he stood up quickly, rustling the bush.

"For Lion's sake, Edmund!" Peter cursed as he, too, stood up. The White Stag looked up and locked eyes with the High King, frozen in place.

Not knowing if the Stag was a Talking Beast or not, Peter raised his hands up as if in surrender. "Look, we do not wish to harm you."

The Stag blinked his deep brown eyes but did not shift, did not blink.

"We just want wishes," Edmund quipped in, making Peter glare in annoyance at his younger brother. He turned back to face the Stag again, but the animal had fled.

"Where did he go?" Peter questioned, earning a shrug from Edmund. It was then that he spied a flash of white from the other side of the river, heading up the bank.

"The darn thing leaped across," Edmund said incredulously as Peter walked to the edge of the River, as if he had the will to pull the opposing bank closer.

"Well," Edmund sighed, crossing his arms in front of him and giving another shrug. "I guess I'll be waiting those four more years then."

Peter, unable to stay mad at his brother, laughed again.

"Perhaps by then you'll have your first mustache, eh, Ed?" he joked, walking over to his brother and clapping him on the back as they turned and walked back to their horses that they had saddled for the day, accompanied by their royal guard, headed by Orieus, the general and centaur.

"I'll have one before you do," Edmund replied, smirking. "Seventeen and still no peach fuzz?"

"A mustache, no. But a beard, yes," Peter replied, and it was true. Golden scruff was peppered across the High King's jawline and chin.

"Oh, please, Peter, that isn't a beard at all," said another voice and Peter looked up to see Lucy and Susan, the two Queens, riding towards their hunting party through the foliage.

"Sisters," Peter and Edmund said together as they bowed in unison. The two Queens bowed their heads in response and then Lucy hopped off her horse and ran up and into Peter's arms. He grunted once at her weight and then shifted so that he could carry her properly.

"Lu, you're twelve. Aren't you getting a little old for me to carry you?" he asked, reaching up and ruffling her hair. His youngest sister swatted his hand away.

"Maybe," she replied. "But you do it anyway." Peter chuckled at that, and in one fluid move, shifted her onto his back so that he could carry her that way, it was much easier. "Now, what was your problem with my beard?"

Lucy patted Peter's cheek. "No problem at all. It's just a baby one, is all."

"A baby beard for a mighty king!" Edmund exclaimed, laughing, and Susan pursed her lips from her position still astride her horse.

"Ed, be nice," she admonished, her eyes flashing a warning to her younger brother. Edmund just smirked at his sister and swung up onto his mount, Phillip. Peter helped Lucy back up onto hers and then got back onto Onyx, the black stallion he had chosen.

"He doesn't have to be nice, Su," Peter replied, smiling at the Gentle Queen. "He'll just have to receive payback sometime."

Susan and Lucy both rolled their eyes at this and then giggled, a joke between sisters. Peter and Edmund looked at them and then to each other, finding no answer.

"Orieus, will you please ride ahead with the guard?" Peter asked of the centaur who had ridden up to his side. His general nodded, bowing his head.

"Your Majesties," he said in parting, giving them a smile, before he rode ahead, ordering the guard to follow him. The four royals followed behind shortly after but didn't go fast. They wanted to have a chance to talk.

They had been riding back for about an hour when Orieus came riding back towards them. They greeted him warmly but stopped when they realized their general looked panicked. "What is it, friend?" Edmund asked of the centaur.

Orieus looked to Queen Lucy. "My Lady, do you have your cordial?"

"Always," Lucy responded, patting her belt that she wore around her that had a pouch and sheath for her cordial and dagger.

"We may have need of it. Come quickly!"

The royals kicked their horses into an immediate run, following Orieus to whatever was distressing him, hoping they weren't too late.


	2. Chapter 2

The sounds of horses' hooves could be heard thundering through the forest as the Kings and Queens of Cair Paravel chased their general through the trees and brush, rushing to the aid of someone that obviously had Orieus in quite a panic. Orieus motioned for them to slow down and then walked into a small clearing, where the rest of the guards were huddled around something.

"Move in the name of their Majesties!" Orieus bellowed and the guards straightened, stepping aside as their High King descended from Onyx and walked over towards them. He only had to glance to see what the 'something' was and without looking behind him, called for his sister.

"Lu, bring your cordial, and quickly. She doesn't have much time left."

The victim was a girl, a young woman, who looked to be the same age as his sister Susan, 16. Her long brown hair was fanned out on the ground around her head, she had a gash over her eye that was bleeding rivers down her face and her left eye was swollen shut. Her bottom lip, which was fuller than her upper, was cracked and bleeding as well. And bruises could be seen on her legs as her skirts were ripped and up by her knees, purple and blue welts that decorated her skin. Lucy stopped right behind Peter and held onto his arm, out of fear. She looked around, seeing if she could sense danger around them. The guards tensed, feeling the anxiety of their Queen. She motioned to them to stand down once she relaxed and stepped forward, pulling her cordial from the pouch in her belt.

"Pete, can you turn her over? And gently, please."

"Yes, Lu, because I'm just going to toss her around like a rag doll," Peter responded with a sarcastic snap. He knelt down though and took hold of the girl's shoulders lightly before turning her over onto her back, propping her head up on the cradle that his knees made when he had them together. He reached down and pulled her mouth open slightly before motioning to Lucy to kneel down too. She did as her brother asked and pulled the stopper out of the cordial before pouring two drops into the girl's mouth.

Peter lowered the girl's head to the ground then and moved a little to the side. He could feel Susan and Edmund come to kneel on either side of him, in between him and Lu, and shared a look with his brother.

"Peter, she's moving," Lucy said, excitedly, and the two Kings looked down to see the girl's eyelids fluttering. Colour had come into her lips and cheeks, and her chest could be seen rising and falling, her breathing visible, which it hadn't been before.

"Hullo?" Susan asked softly. "My lady, can you hear me?"

"Maybe we should just step back a little," Peter whispered to his siblings and they all took a bum slide back, leaving the girl more room.

"My lady?" Susan continued. "My lady, can you hear me?"

The girl's eyes fluttered open, startled and she sat up quickly.

"No, my lady, you mustn't move too harshly," Lucy warned but the girl seemed to have learned that the hard way because she winced and clutched at her head. Then her eyes focused on the fact that she was surrounded, and she scrambled to the nearest tree, looking for a way to escape the four royals and the guards.

"Who are you?" she demanded in a voice that was almost melodic, even though it was laced with fear.

Peter got up and walked towards her. "My lady, I'm-"

Peter was cut off by the girl's blade, which she had pulled from one of her brown boots, which was now pressed to his throat. He raised his hands up, showing that he meant no harm, as the guards pulled their swords out.

"Please back up," the girl asked in a clipped tone and as he took a few steps back, she lowered her dagger so the guards lowered their swords.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?" Orieus asked, his eyes trained on the girl.

"Your Majesty?" the girl repeated in a shocked whisper, looking from Peter to Orieus and then to the rest of the Pevensies. Her dagger fell to the ground with a _thud_ as she finally realized who they were and dropped to a curtsy. "Your Highness, I am so sorry that I… I didn't know who you were and…"

Peter motioned that she didn't have to continue to try and explain and looked down at her kindly.

"Are you not from our part of Narnia, my lady? Cair Paravel?"

The girl shook her head. "No, my Lord. I'm from Anvard."

"And what is your name?" Lucy asked, coming up to her brother's side and pocketing her cordial.

"Anne. Anne Forresina. I am a serving maid."

"And what are you doing in the middle of Lantern Waste, bruised and bloodied, Lady Forresina?" Peter asked, his blue eyes meeting her brown.

"I was brought here," Anne replied, looking quickly away. "To die."

"Why, my Lady?" Lucy queried.

"Because I did not agree with the King."

"The King? Why?"

"He asked me to be his mistress," Anne replied. "And I refused."

Everyone stiffened.

"So you got almost beaten to death because you refused to be his mistress?" Edmund asked slowly, hardly believing her. Susan shot him a glare reminding him to be polite before turning to Anne.

"My lady, I would be honoured, as I believe my brothers and sister would be, if you would come back to Cair Paravel with us and be our guest until you are well and until word can be sent to the King of Anvard, in hopes to clear up this whole predicament."

"As gracious as your offer is, Your Majesty, I think I can handle myself," Anne replied, which shocked all of the royals.

"Which is why you're bruised and bleeding," said Edmund and Anne glared at him.

"An unfortunate mistake on my part that I will not let happen again," she hissed.

"Lady Anne, it would be my honour to accompany you back to the castle," Peter said, holding out his arm. "Please? It would be make me happy to know that you are safe."

"Why? How do I know that you won't treat me the same way that the King of Anvard did?" she demanded.

"Because, my lady, you will come to notice that we treat our women differently here, we have much more respect for them and cherish them, as my sisters can attest to."

He watched her have a war in her mind about whether to trust him or not and finally saw peace in her mind. "If you insist, your Majesty," she finally replied, her tone soft but careful.

"I do."

"Then let us go back to Cair. I do so wish to see your palace."

Lucy thought it odd that the girl changed her mind so quickly, but then decided that she wasn't going to argue it, if the girl was being more complient.


	3. Chapter 3

"Lady Anne of Archenland!" Mr. Tumnus called, his voice echoing in the ornate ballroom of Cair Paravel. The steady swish of the taffeta and crinoline skirts as they whisked across the marble floor ceased as their wearers took the hands of their escorts and turned in unison, some with suspicious gazes, others with open looks of excitement and happiness, and others merely curious, to look upon the new arrival. But all were entranced as the first appearance of skirts, crimson in colour, peaked around the corner of a pillar and Lady Anne came into view.

Susan and Lucy had prepped her beautifully. The moment that Anne had arrived at Cair, the Queens had brought into Cair that evening and had made sure their ladies-in-waiting were sent on many errands around the castle, all trying to get Lady Anne looking like a proper woman. The bruises had left her skin due to Lucy's cordial and the cuts on her lips were healed up nicely, nary a trace of them to be seen. They had five ladies brushing out her hair until it shone and sprayed it with the extract of some flower that Anne couldn't place.

She didn't like being the center of attention back in Archenland and that certainly hadn't changed from going from their court to the Narnian one. As the maids fussed over her, Anne had grown more and more fidgety until she had stood up from her chair, almost livid, and claimed that she couldn't go on with the torture. The ladies had just laughed and pushed her down gently back into her seat as they picked up their brushes once more. Now, Anne was the center of attention for an entire room full of nobility and though she was of nobility too, she felt that they were of a higher class, all more important than her, all looking down upon her. She raised her head a little higher and began to walk down the few steps that it took to enter the ballroom.

The dresses that she had worn in Archenland paled in comparison to the one she wore now. She had forced the Queens to let her keep a fairly plain dress as she wasn't used to all the "finer" trimming and beading that was on some of the ones that Susan showed her from her own personal wardrobe. However, she had allowed them to choose everything else. Susan finally decided that the dress should be red as it symbolized passion, and, judging by their first meeting where Anne had talked back to the High King, Susan could tell that Anne was a passionate creature. It had a sweetheart neckline with a tightfitting bodice that made it slightly more difficult for Anne to breathe than what was normal, the skirt was in the typical ballroom style: very large and very heavy. The sleeves were short and off the shoulder, and gathered a little at the bottom so that they were slightly puffed. Her hair was down in loose waves and around her neck, there was a chain made of gold circles that had insets of rubies.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the people parted, allowing her clear passage to the dais, where the Kings and Queens that ruled over Cair Paravel sat on their thrones. Anne took a deep breath and walked forwards, her heeled slipped clicking as she traveled across the marbled floor. When she reached the dais, she sunk to the floor in a curtsy and bowed her head low.

"Your Majesties, I thank you for holding this ball in my honour. It was too kind of you, a very gracious act, and one that I will cherish for the rest of my life," she said, still not looking up at them. A small smile was on her lips. She hadn't known the ball was for her until Susan had told her so in the middle of lacing up her corset.

"It's to introduce you to the court," the Gentle Queen had said as Lucy had been applying makeup to Anne's face.

And now, Anne was waiting for one of the royals to acknowledge her. She heard one of them move off of their throne and then felt a hand cup her chin to tilt her face upwards. Anne looked up. It was the High King.

"Arise, Lady Anne," he said warmly and he moved his hand from under her chin to hold in front of her, palm up. Anne placed one of her hands into it and he helped her out of her curtsy. She nodded her head to the other royals.

"Your Majesties."

"Lady Anne, you look ravishing," King Edmund said in a breathless tone. "Much better than before."

"Thank you, your Highness."

"I told you, call me Edmund. You have permission to call of us by our first names," Edmund said with a chuckled. "You can even call me Ed, if you want."

The High King looked to his younger brother and shook his head, trying not to laugh.

"I think we did a good job," Lucy said, smiling brightly at her older sister. "Don't you think so, Susan?"

"I do," Susan replied, also smiling. "Please, Lady Anne, won't you sit up here with us?" She motioned to a nearby faun to go and fetch something and he walked away before returning a few moments later with a chair that he placed in between the two Queens' thrones.

"Your Majesty-" Anne began.

"Susan-" the Gentle Queen interjected. Lady Anne continued.

"Susan, with all due respect to your offer, may I dance first?" She gave the Gentle Queen her most pleading look and was awarded with a laugh from her Majesty.

"Of course you can," she replied, before nodding at the High King. "Peter, would you do the honour?"

"I would be delighted," the Golden King answered while turning to Anne. "That is, if your ladyship will allow me."

"The pleasure will be all mine," Anne replied, her rosy lips flashing her best smile and she could have sworn the High King blushed. He bowed to her and she curtsied back in response before he led her out onto the dance floor, the crowded guests once more parting ways as their head ruler escorted the new lady into the first steps of a waltz.

"You dance gracefully," Peter complimented as they twirled with ease, his boots joining hers in the subtle clicking noises, dancing across the marble.

"Thank you. My mother taught me how."

"And where is your mother now?" Peter asked, politeness evident in his voice. But Anne's reaction was not one she expected for she stiffened slightly in his arms. Other dancers were starting to join them back on the floor and soon, they were in a myriad of coloured skirts.

"Let's not mention her, alright?" Lady Anne replied, her voice sounding strained. Peter ducked his head.

"Of course. I'm sorry to have offended you."

"It's fine," Anne replied with a sigh as Peter put his hands on her waist and lifted her into the air for a quick circle before lowering her back down, her hands resting on his shoulders.

They danced on and gradually Anne relaxed again. Peter was happy to let her dance her cares away and vowed to do whatever he had to to help Anne's mother, whom he feared was in some sort of trouble.

When the evening finally ended, Anne knew the names of almost everyone at court, thanks to Peter's attentions in between dances when he walked her around the ballroom. As she went back to her living quarters at Cair, which used to be Queen Lucy's before the girl grew, she tried to match faces with names but found that Peter's kept popping up into her mind. How he smiled at her when they were dancing, how he had kept a hand on her waist the whole evening as he escorted her around, and how he had kissed her hand goodnight before Susan and Lucy had ushered her out of the ballroom at two in the morning, passing by a sleepy Edmund who kissed Anne on the cheek as they walked through the doorway.

She had finally found someone in whom she could confide. And that made her drift off to sleep with a smile on her face and warmth in her heart that she hadn't felt in quite a long time.


End file.
